Bollinger RD 2008
Brand : Champagne Bollinger
- Gift wrapping:
- Options available
- Region:
- Champagne
- Grape Variety:
- Chardonnay
- Grape Variety:
- Pinot Noir
- Bottle Size:
- 750ml
- ABV:
- 12.5%
- Vintage:
- 2008
A stunning new release: Bollinger RD 2008
“When we tasted the wine six months ago we expected a great vintage and we now believe it may prove to be as great as the 1928. You only get one that shows above all others about every 20 years and we think this will be it.” Denis Bunner, Chef de Cave
RD in champagne production terms indicates a Récemment Dégorgé, or ‘recently disgorged’ wine, meaning that this 2008 has had an amazing 15 years on the lees (not the usual 3 years that most champagnes enjoy), emerging fresh, bright and ready for drinking or ageing, as you prefer. A must-buy for any Bollinger, or indeed Champagne drinker.
71% Pinot Noir, 29% Chardonnay, from 18 different crus – principally Aÿ and Verzenay for the Pinot and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Cramant for the Chardonnay; 100% barrel fermented; dosage – 3g / litre. Disgorged October 2022.
2008 is a remarkably slowly ageing vintage, thus it is laudable that Bollinger were able to lengthen RD's lees ageing from 12 to 14 years here. The house shifting to the narrow-necked new bottle shape in 2008 adds an element of interest to this launch from the super hyped harvest year. The layered nose shows cool restraint with sweet patisserie and roasted chestnut over yellow apple, lemon zest and crunchy yellow plum fruit. Over time in the glass the charred, tobacco and nutty notes get enhanced with sweet vanilla, dried apricot and apple compote tones. On the palate the wine is as vigorous and tight as ever, with a linear and racy body leading to a long, super saline finish. Compared to the earlier launched La Grande Année edition of the wine, there is more flesh on the bone, but the wine manages to keep its elegant crystalline transparency. No doubt the record-low 3g/L dosage contributes, as Bollinger wants to stay true to the wine. Many wondered about the short original release of La Grande Année, but Bollinger did wisely to keep back a large number of bottles for release as RD thanks to the wine’s colossal ageing capacity. Even today the wine is structurally super youthful, but aromatics are already beautifully enriched by fine charred, smoky and biscuity complexity. This RD is an age-defying beauty. Bottle disgorged 28.10.2022.
